THE severe M&S cyber attack shows why biometric eye-scanners should not be rolled out in shops and airports, Usdaw’s annual conference heard today.

Proposals to allow police, Border Force and shopworkers to use iris ID scanners could tackle benefit fraud, save police time and prevent assaults on shop staff when customers are required to verify their age, the conference in Blackpool was told.

The motion was overwhelmingly rejected by delegates after Usdaw deputy general secretary Dave McCrossen said the data protection watchdog had already banned employers from using this type of information as part of their employee records.

He said: “If properly regulated, there are situations where biometric technology can be helpful in our everyday lives. 

“However, there are also situations where the recording of, and storing of, biometric information can pose a significant risk to our identity.

“You think of hacks that have happened recent days with M&S … which show you the high risks.

“These risks have been deemed to be so great that recently, the information commissioner has stopped a number of employers from using this type of information as part of their employee records.”

Mr McCrossen highlighted how biometric data holds distinctive characteristics that can always be traced back to the individual.

“If biometric data gets stolen, it isn’t simply a case of ordering a new bank card, or changing account details — you simply cannot change your fingerprint or your unique eye pattern,” he said.

“Equally, there’s a significant question of cost.”

The debate took place as a M&S insider revealed it could be “months” before the retailer fully recovers from the attack. 

Hackers have been holding the high-street brand to ransom for more than a week now, forcing it to suspend online orders and halt recruitment.